Eaves Protector

ABSTRACT

An eaves protector is provided that includes a soffit receiver and a soffit/fascia lock which are fastened to the eaves. A fascia plate and a soffit are engaged to the soffit receiver and the fascia/soffit lock. An optional fascia drip guard may be positioned above the fascia place to provide additional protection against the infiltration of water into the eaves and improve the appearance of the system. Some versions of the eaves protector require no fasteners to keep the soffit and fascia plate in place. Versions of the fascia/soffit lock and the soffit receiver are provided that can be simply and inexpensively manufactured from single pieces of folded material, such as sheet metal or vinyl. In a particular version of the eaves protector, the fascia drip guard, fascia/soffit lock, and soffit receiver may be manufactured to standard dimensions that will fit any building; the soffit and the fascia plate may be made of single sheets of easily worked material that can be custom-cut on site.

BACKGROUND

A. Field of the Disclosure

the present disclosure relates generally to the construction ofbuildings, and more specifically to eaves protectors and methods ofusing the same.

B. Background

The eaves of a building is the area where the roof overhangs theexterior wall. Although the upper surface of the roof and the main bodyof the exterior wall are generally well protected from the elements,where they meet at the eaves both structures are vulnerable toweathering. Typically the fascia board, which extends from the edge ofthe roof down to cover the edges of the rafters, will either be paintedor plated to protect the wood from rain, freezing, and sunlight. Platingwith a layer of protective material (such as metal or vinyl) has theadvantage of greater durability than painting, although it is morematerial and labor intensive. The area below the roof is also vulnerableto weathering, and is typically protected by a soffit. Soffits are madefrom a variety of construction materials, including polymer, metal, andpainted wood.

Although the use of a protective layer of material over the eaves hasmany recognized advantages over alternative methods (such as applyingprotective paint to the structures forming the eaves), such systems aresubject to persistent problems that have never been adequately solved.The materials used are expensive compared to paints and finishes. Thecost is compounded by the fact that buildings (and their eaves) are notof a single standard design, and components of eaves protection systemsmust be custom-manufactured to fit a given building. Consequently, thereis a long-felt but unmet need in the art for an eaves protector composedmostly or entirely of standardized parts that need not be custommanufactured for each building, or which can be easily custom-cut at thework site.

Unlike paint, protective structures must be fastened to the building.The presence of fastener holes can create conduits for moisture to enterthe eaves through the protective structures, damaging the eaves andpotentially corroding the protective structure itself if it is notadequately resistant to moisture. In addition, the inevitable daily andseasonal changes in temperature to which the protective structures willbe subjected cause such structures to expand and contract, changing insize and shape. Such expansion and contraction will put stress onfasteners, widening fastener holes and slowly working fasteners loose.The larger the component, the greater the change in size and shape thatwill occur as a result of changes in temperature. Lastly, drivingfasteners is a very labor-intensive step in installing an eavesprotector. Consequently, there is a long-felt but unmet need in the artfor an eaves protector in which the largest components (the soffit andthe fascia plate) require no fasteners, and in which the largestcomponents can expand and contract freely without detaching from thebuilding or from the rest of the system.

Protective structures covering the eaves are typically composed of atleast some parts that require extrusion, welding, soldering, or otherjoining techniques during manufacture. The requirement for suchtechniques increases the cost of the part, and thus the cost of thesystem as a whole. Consequently, there is a long-felt but unmet need inthe art for an eaves protector the components of which require nojoining, and can be made by simple manufacturing techniques (forexample, merely folding the material into the needed shape).

Whereas painting the eaves retains the shape and appearance oftraditional wood construction, including a distinct facia board, soffit,and frieze board, protective structures such as siding and eavesprotectors cover this aesthetically pleasing construction. As a result,currently used eaves protectors are not aesthetically pleasing, and areconsidered by many to impart a “cheap” appearance to the building,despite the fact that they provide superior weathering protection andare not inexpensive. Consequently, there is a long-felt but unmet needin the art for an eaves protector that provides superior weatheringprotection and retains the appearance of wood construction wheninstalled.

SUMMARY

An eaves protector is provided, the various embodiments of which fulfillone or more of the following objects: ease of construction; low cost ofmanufacturing; standardization of components; the ability to expand andcontract freely without compromising the integrity of the protector; theability to install the eaves protector without fastening either thesoffit or the fascia plate directly to the building; the ability to usethe protector with standard siding and soffit parts; the ability to usethe protector with soffit that is a flat layer of rollable material;installation on any building without manufacturing most or all of thecomponents to custom specifications; flexibility in shaping the exteriorappearance of the protector; and appearance of the protector that isclose or identical to that of a wooden eaves. It is to be understoodthat not every embodiment of the eaves protector will fulfill everyobjective.

These objectives and others are achieved by providing an eaves protectorcomprising a fascia plate covering a portion of the outer surface of afascia board of the eaves, a fascia/soffit lock configured to befastened to at least one of the fascia board and a soffit board of theeaves, a soffit configured to fit into the outer soffit slot such thatthe soffit is at least partially supported by the fascia/soffit lock;and a soffit receiver configured to be fastened to at least one of thesoffit board, a frieze board, and an exterior wall. The fascia platecomprises a generally vertical fascia cover portion, a lock engagementportion, a central portion between the fascia cover portion and the lockengagement portion, and an upper plate edge along the top margin of thefascia cover portion. The fascia/soffit lock comprises an outer soffitslot, and a fascia plate engagement portion configured to engage thelock engagement portion of the fascia plate covering, such that thefascia/soffit lock at least partially supports the fascia plate when thesystem is fastened to the eaves. The soffit receiver comprises an innersoffit slot configured to fit the soffit such that the soffit is atleast partially supported by the soffit receiver, a siding nicheconfigured to accept a top edge of a piece of siding, connected with andbelow the inner soffit slot when the system is fastened to the eaves,and a central portion connecting the inner soffit slot to the sidingniche.

These objectives and others are achieved by also providing a buildingcomprising the eaves protector. These objectives and others are alsoachieved by providing a method of installing an eaves protectorcomprising fastening the eaves protector to a building componentselected from the group consisting of: a fascia board, a soffit board, afrieze board, and an exterior wall.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1: A diagram illustrating an embodiment of the fascia plate.

FIG. 2: A diagram illustrating an embodiment of the fascia/soffit lock.

FIG. 3: A diagram illustrating an embodiment of the soffit receiver witha decorative shape resembling a frieze board.

FIG. 4: A diagram illustrating an embodiment of the soffit receiver witha decorative shape resembling crown molding.

FIG. 5: A diagram illustrating an embodiment of the fascia drip guard.

FIG. 6: A diagram illustrating the assembled eaves protector installedon an eaves.

FIG. 7: A diagram illustrating an embodiment of the soffit receiver inwhich the siding niche is configured to fit builder's grade vinylsiding.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The eaves protector 100 (an embodiment of which is shown in FIG. 6)functions to protect the underlying eaves from various types ofweathering. One of the main sources of weathering is exposure tomoisture, the main source of moisture being precipitation. Toeffectively protect the eaves from moisture the eaves protector 100 mustpresent a surface to the elements that is generally impermeable towater. Ideally the eaves protector 100 will be configured to preventmoisture from sheeting over the eaves protector 100 and reachingunprotected parts of the building structure. Protection from moisturedamage may also be provided by venting areas of the eaves in whichmoisture might otherwise accumulate and linger.

Another common source of weathering is solar radiation. Sunlight (which,for the purposes of this discussion, includes non-visible portions ofthe spectrum such as ultraviolet) can discolor wood, encourage thegrowth of fouling organisms (such as moss, algae and lichen), discolorpaint, and chemically degrade paint.

Another common source of weathering is the freezing of water. Water ormoisture that covers or infiltrates parts of the eaves will expand uponfreezing. This expansion can damage structures and cause structures thatare fastened together to spread apart, generally undermining theintegrity of the eaves and the building.

Consequently, it is advantageous to construct the components of theeaves protector 100 from a material (or materials) that has at least oneof the following properties: resists damage from water, is impermeableto water, resists damage from sunlight, and can expand or contractwithout lasting damage. Such materials generally include metals,finished metals, and polymers. Finished metal has the advantage ofallowing the use of metals which, if unfinished, might otherwise oxidizeor corrode. Finished metal in this context includes galvanized metal.Unfinished metal has the advantage of lower manufacturing cost andgreater durability. Polymers have various advantages depending on thepolymer material in question. For example, vinyl is a popular materialfor building exteriors due to its light weight and water resistance.

The eaves protector 100 comprises a fascia plate 200, an embodiment ofwhich is shown in FIG. 1. The fascia plate 200 serves as a barrierbetween the elements and the underlying fascia board. Because the fasciaboard is the most exposed portion of the eaves, the fascia plate 200must provide strong, enduring, and consistent protection from theelements. Consequently, it will be advantageous if the fascia plate 200is constructed from materials that resist water, are impermeable towater, and resist sunlight. It is also advantageous if the fascia plate200 may be installed without the use of penetrating fasteners (such asnails or screws), which must form a hole in the protective layer throughwhich moisture can reach the building.

The fascia plate 200 is secured at its lower end by the fascia/soffitlock 300, and may be secured at its upper end by a variety of means. Forexample, the fascia plate 200 may extend between the roof and therafter, preventing precipitation from entering the space behind theupper plate edge 240. If the fascia plate 200 extends between the roofand the rafter, fasteners may be put through the portion of the fasciaplate 200 that is between the roof and the rafter without allowingmoisture to penetrate the fascia plate 200 at the fastener hole (it willbe protected by the roof). Extending the fascia plate 200 between theroof and the rafter avoids the need for a fascia drip guard 600.

The fascia plate 200 may also be secured at its upper end by fasteningit to the fascia board and placing a drip guard over the area of thefascia plate 200 comprising the fastener hole.

The fascia plate 200 may be secured at its upper end by inserting itsupper plate edge 240 into the fascia plate 200 slot of a fascia dripguard 600, as described more fully below. This configuration has theadvantages of securing the fascia plate 200 without driving fastenersthrough the fascia plate 200, and allows the fascia plate 200 to expandand contract while installed without damaging the eaves protector 100 orcompromising the connection between the fascia drip guard 600 and thefascia plate 200.

The fascia plate 200 comprises a generally vertical fascia cover portion210. The fascia cover portion 210 is defined as that portion of thefascia plate 200 that is positioned between the fascia board and theelements. It is “generally vertical” in that it runs roughly parallel tothe fascia board; however, the fascia cover portion 210 may take on anygeometrical shape so long as it covers the fascia board and covers anyfasteners that secure the fascia/soffit lock 300 to the fascia board. Itis advantageous if the fascia cover portion 210 is geometricallyconfigured to prevent any pooling of water on the interior or theexterior to the fascia plate 200.

The fascia plate 200 further comprises a lock engagement portion 220.The lock engagement portion 220 engages the fascia/soffit lock 300,allowing the fascia plate 200 to be at least partially supported by thelock 300. The lock engagement portion 220 can have a variety of shapes.In one embodiment, the lock engagement portion 220 forms a “J” curve atthe bottom of the fascia plate 200 that fits snugly around a portion ofthe fascia/soffit lock 300 (the fascia plate engagement portion 320). Afurther embodiment comprises a loop at the tip of the “J” that forms alocking lip 221 that engages one or more locking ridge 321 s on thefascia/soffit lock 300, and an otherwise upturned lock engagementportion 220. A number of other known configurations of the lockengagement portion 220 and the fascia/soffit lock 300 can be used tosecure the fascia plate 200 to the fascia/soffit lock 300.

The portion of the fascia plate 200 that falls between the fascia coverportion 210 and the lock engagement portion 220 may be termed thecentral portion 230. In those embodiments of the facia plate comprisingan upturned lock engagement portion 220, the central portion 230 maycomprise at least one fold to permit the upturned position of the lockengagement portion 220. The central portion 230 may comprise additionalfeatures to enhance the functioning and appearance of the eavesprotector 100. Some embodiments of the central portion 230 comprise adrip edge 231 that prevents sheeting water from reaching the soffit areaof the eaves. The drip edge 231 can take the form of any downwardprotuberance that is sufficiently sharp to prevent sheeting water fromascending the back end. Some embodiments of the central portion 230 havea decorative fascia shape 232; such a decorative fascia shape 232 mayalso serve as a drip edge 231, although this will not always be thecase. An example of a suitable decorative fascia shape 232 is arectangular shape reminiscent in shape and size to a traditional woodenfascia board.

The eaves protector 100 also comprises a fascia/soffit lock 300(referred to herein as “the lock”), an embodiment of which is shown inFIG. 2. The lock 300 can be fastened to the fascia board, the soffitboard, or both, using conventional fasteners, without creating a conduitfor moisture from the exterior elements. If the lock 300 is fastened tothe fascia board, it is advantageous if the fascia plate 200 covers thefasteners. Many embodiments of the lock 300 will fit on anyconventionally configured eaves, and need not be custom manufactured fora particular building.

The lock 300 comprises an outer soffit slot 310 that accommodates and atleast partially supports a soffit 400. The lock 300 further comprises afascia plate engagement portion 320 configured to engage the lockengagement portion 220 of the fascia plate 200 covering, such that thefascia/soffit lock 300 at least partially supports the fascia plate 200when the eaves protector 100 is fastened to the eaves. For example, ifthe fascia plate lock engagement portion 220 forms a “J” shape, thefascia plate engagement portion 320 may be shaped to fit snugly withinthe curve of the “J.” The fascia plate engagement portion 320 may alsocomprise a fastening structure to aid in locking and supporting thefascia plate 200, such as one or more locking ridge 321 s.

Some embodiments of the fascia/soffit lock 300 comprise a single pieceof folded material. Constructing the lock 300 from a single piece offolded material has the advantage of great ease of manufacture, as nowelds, soldering, or other means of joining parts are necessary. Somematerials, such as sheet metal, can be easily folded by a workmanon-site, although it will be more economical to construct the lock 300at a manufacturing facility. As noted above, the lock 300 will functionon the eaves of nearly any building, regardless of the building'sdimensions or the dimensions of the eaves; as such, on-site modificationwill rarely be necessary.

One embodiment of the lock 300 that is constructed from a single pieceof folded material comprises a first hairpin fold 330 forming the outersoffit slot 310, and a first fold 340 between the outer soffit slot 310and the fascia plate engagement portion 320. Further embodimentscomprise a second hairpin fold 350 adjacent to the first hairpin fold330 and on the opposite side of the first hairpin fold 330 from thefirst fold 340, and a second fold 360 on the opposite side of the secondhairpin fold 350 from the first fold 340, the second fold 360 forming anupper portion generally parallel to the fascia board. Such embodimentsprovide excellent attachment for both the fascia plate 200 and thesoffit 400.

One embodiment of the lock 300 that is constructed from a single pieceof folded material comprises an upper tongue 370 configured to sitbetween the fascia board and the fascia plate 200 when installed on theeaves, a lower tongue 380 that is the fascia plate engagement portion320; and a sigmoid midsection 390 comprising and upper curve 391 and alower curve 392, the midsection being between the upper tongue 370 andthe lower tongue 380, wherein the lower curve 392 defines the outersoffit slot 310. Such embodiments provide excellent attachment for boththe fascia plate 200 and the soffit 400.

The eaves protector 100 comprises a soffit 400. The soffit 400 isconfigured to fit into the outer soffit slot 310 and the inner soffitslot 501 such that the soffit 400 is supported by at least one of thefascia/soffit lock 300 and the soffit receiver 500.

The soffit 400 may be a conventional prefabricated soffit 400. Thesoffit 400 may also be a generally flat material 401. The material maybe rollable. The material must be resistant to weathering, as necessaryfor any external surface of a building. Examples include sheet metalcoil (for example aluminum coil, steel coil, copper coil), and vinylcoil. If the material is metal coil, it may be any commonly commerciallyavailable metal coil, such as aluminum, aluminum alloy, copper alloy,aluminum/copper alloy, stainless steel (clad or unclad), and galvalume.Of course, if the material is metal coil, it may be composed of anymetal that is generally amenable to coiling and has adequate weatheringproperties. A soffit 400 that is generally flat rollable material hasthe advantage of being easily shipped to the site in large continuouslengths, such that the soffit 400 for an entire side of a building canbe made from one piece of material by merely cutting a length of coil.This avoids the need to fasten overlapping pieces of soffit 400together.

The soffit 400 may comprise additional features that are conventionallyknown to enhance their function. For example, some embodiments of thesoffit 400 are vented by providing slots, holes, or perforations topermit airflow.

The eaves protector 100 comprises a soffit receiver 500, embodiments ofwhich are shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 7. The soffit receiver 500 functionsto support the soffit 400 on the inner (building) side and to attach theeaves protector 100 to any siding that may be installed on the exteriorwall of the building. The soffit receiver 500 is fastened to thebuilding, generally at one or more of the exterior wall, a frieze board,or the soffit board. Fastening the receiver 500 to the soffit board hasthe advantage of having the fastener (and any attendant fastener hole)protected by the soffit 400. Fastening the receiver 500 to the friezeboard or the exterior wall has the advantage of greater durability, asthe weight of the receiver 500 (and the soffit 400 which it supports)will not tend to pull the fastener directly out of the vertical surfaceto which it is fastened. If the receiver 500 is fastened to the exteriorwall, the fastener will in some cases be covered and protected bysiding. In those situations in which the soffit receiver 500 abuts afrieze board, the soffit receiver may further comprise a frieze cap thatfits into the siding niche 520 and extends around the bottom of thefrieze board in such a way so as to at least partially protect thefrieze board from the elements.

Many embodiments of the soffit receiver 500 will fit on anyconventionally configured eaves, and need not be custom manufactured fora particular building.

The receiver 500 comprises an inner soffit slot 501, into which thesoffit 400 will fit. The soffit slot is configured to at least partiallysupport the soffit 400 when installed on the eaves. Some embodiments ofthe soffit slot allow the soffit 400 to expand and contract withoutaltering the configuration that allows the soffit slot to keep thesoffit 400 in place. For example, one embodiment of the inner soffitslot 501 is a narrow slot with somewhat flexible edges, which allows thesoffit 400 slight freedom of movement in the direction toward thebuilding or away from the building, without disengaging the soffit 400from the receiver. In this and other embodiments the inner soffit slot501 may lack fasteners or fastening structures, as repeated expansionand contraction of the soffit 400 could work the soffit 400 free fromfasteners or fastening structures.

The dimensions of the soffit slot will be partially dictated by thenature of the soffit 400. For example, if the soffit 400 is standard ⅝″panel, the soffit slot may be ⅝″ in width or slightly wider toaccommodate the panel snugly. As another example, if the soffit 400 is0.125 cm aluminum coil, the soffit slot may be 0.125 cm or slightlywider to accommodate the panel snugly. Generally speaking, the soffitslot will be about the same width as the soffit 400.

Some embodiments of the receiver further comprise a siding niche 520configured to accept the top edge of a piece of siding. In this context,the term “siding” means the cladding or covering of the exterior wallintended to protect it of the building. Siding includes including butnot limited to metal trim coil that is placed over the exterior wall ofthe building. In some embodiments of the eaves protector, the siding isvinyl siding, uPVC weatherboarding, asphalt siding, metal siding, andwood siding. Specific examples of the forgoing include clapboard (woodsiding), copper cladding, corrugated galvanized steel, and corrugatedaluminum. Because the siding will invariably extend below the soffit 400(and will generally be entirely below the soffit 400), the siding niche520 will be at least partially below the soffit slot, if not entirelybelow the soffit slot. The dimensions of the siding niche 520 willdepend at least partially on the type of siding on the exterior wall.For example, if the siding is standard 0.48″ vinyl siding, the sidingniche 520 will be about 0.48″ wide or slightly wider to ensure a snugfit. The siding niche may also have a width that is about equal to theprofile height of any standard size of vinyl siding, for example ⅝″ or½″. If a simple layer of metal coil or flat siding is used, then thesiding niche 520 may be narrower to accommodate the sheet metal withoutexcess space. Generally speaking, the siding niche 520 will be about thesame width as the siding. The receiver need not support the siding, andthe siding niche 520 functions mainly to cover the top edge of thesiding to improve the appearance of the building and to prevent moisturefrom entering the space behind the siding.

The portion of the receiver between the siding niche 520 and the innersoffit slot 501 is termed the central portion 530 of the receiver. Thecentral portion 530 may be configured to serve various functions. Forexample, the central portion 530 of the receiver may be configured toform a drip guard as an extra precaution against moisture entering thespace behind the siding or sheeting over the exterior wall. The centralportion 530 of the receiver may comprise a decorative shape 531.Examples of such decorative shapes 531 include the shape of a friezeboard 532 and the shape of a crown molding 533.

Some embodiments of the receiver comprise a single piece of foldedmaterial. As is true of the lock 300, constructing the receiver from asingle piece of folded material has the advantage of great ease ofmanufacture, as no welds, soldering, or other means of joining parts arenecessary. Some materials, such as sheet metal, can be easily folded bya workman on-site, although it will be more economical to construct thelock 300 at a manufacturing facility. As noted above, the receiver willfunction on the eaves of nearly any building, regardless of thebuilding's dimensions or the dimensions of the eaves; as such, on-sitemodification will rarely be necessary.

Some embodiments of the receiver composed of a single piece of foldedmaterial further comprise a hairpin fold 540 forming the inner soffitslot 501, at least one niche fold 550 forming the siding niche 520, anupper fold 560 adjacent to the inner soffit slot 501, and a lower fold570 adjacent to the siding niche 520, wherein the central portion 530 ofthe soffit receiver 500 is between the upper fold and the lower fold.Further embodiments of the receiver compose of a single piece of foldedmaterial are characterized in that the inner soffit slot 501 isgenerally perpendicular to the exterior wall of the building, and thesiding niche 520 is generally parallel to the exterior wall of thebuilding.

Some embodiments of the eaves protector 100 further comprise a fasciadrip guard 600, an embodiment of which is shown in FIG. 4. The fasciadrip guard 600 functions to prevent moisture from entering the spacebetween the fascia plate 200 and the fascia board. The fascia drip guard600 will be fastened to the fascia board in such a way as to avoid theinfiltration of moisture behind the fascia drip guard 600. The fasciadrip guard 600 may, for example, be fastened to the top side of thefascia board, under the roof. Many embodiments of the fascia drip guard600 will fit on any conventionally configured eaves, and need not becustom manufactured for a particular building.

The fascia drip guard 600 comprises a fascia plate slot 610 configuredto fit the upper plate edge 240 of the face plate. Some embodiments ofthe fascia plate slot 610 will accommodate the upper plate edge 240 insuch a way so as to allow a certain amount of expansion and contractionof the fascia plate 200 without working free of the drip guard orcompromising the integrity of the connection between the drip guard andthe fascia plate 200. In one such embodiment the fascia plate slot 610is a narrow channel or fold slightly wider than the fascia plate 200, inwhich friction between the upper plate edge 240 and the sides of thefascia plate slot 610 keeps the fascia plate 200 in place, althoughallowing some expansion and contraction of the fascia plate 200.

The fascia drip guard 600 further comprises an upper drip edge 620. Theupper drip edge 620 functions to prevent water sheeting off the roof orfalling on the side of the fascia drip guard 600 from contacting thefascia plate 200 or entering the space between the fascia plate 200 andthe fascia board. The upper drip edge 620 can take the form of anydownward protuberance that is sufficiently sharp to prevent sheetingwater from ascending the back end.

Some embodiments of the fascia drip guard 600 have a decorative upperfascia shape 630; such a decorative upper fascia shape 630 may alsoserve as an upper drip edge 620, although this will not always be thecase. An example of a suitable decorative upper fascia shape 630 is arectangular shape similar to a top edge of a roof as it might slightlyoverhang the fascia.

Some embodiments of the fascia drip guard 600 comprise a single piece offolded material. As for the other components of the eaves protector 100,constructing the receiver from a single piece of folded material has theadvantage of great ease of manufacture, as no welds, soldering, or othermeans of joining parts are necessary. Some materials, such as sheetmetal, can be easily folded by a workman on-site, although it will bemore economical to construct the drip guard at a manufacturing facility.As noted above, the drip guard 600 will function on the eaves of nearlyany building, regardless of the building's dimensions or the dimensionsof the eaves; as such, on-site modification will rarely be necessary.Some embodiments of the fascia drip guard 600 composed of a single pieceof folded material comprise a hairpin fold 640 fainting the fascia plateslot 610. Such embodiments may comprise at least one additional fold 650defining the upper drip edge 620. Some embodiments further comprise asecond additional fold 660 on the opposite side of the upper drip edge620 from the fascia plate slot 610 such that the drip guard 600 extendsbetween the fascia board and the roof.

The disclosure provides a building 700 comprising any of the eavesprotectors 100 disclosed herein. The disclosure also provides methods ofinstalling an eaves protector 100 on a building, comprising fasteningany component of any eaves protector 100 disclosed herein to at leastone building component, including the fascia board, the soffit board,and the exterior wall. The component of the eaves protector that isfastened to the building may be, for example, the fascia/soffit lock,the soffit receiver, the fascia drip guard, or a combination of any ofthe foregoing. The eaves protector 100 may be fastened to the buildingusing any fastener that is conventionally known in the art, so long asthe fastener is capable of bearing its portion of the weight of theeaves protector 100.

The foregoing description illustrates and describes the processes,machines, manufactures, compositions of matter, and other teachings ofthe present disclosure. Additionally, the disclosure shows and describesonly certain embodiments of the processes, machines, manufactures,compositions of matter, and other teachings disclosed, but, as mentionedabove, it is to be understood that the teachings of the presentdisclosure are capable of use in various other combinations,modifications, and environments and is capable of changes ormodifications within the scope of the teachings as expressed herein,commensurate with the skill and/or knowledge of a person having ordinaryskill in the relevant art. The embodiments described hereinabove arefurther intended to explain certain best modes known of practicing theprocesses, machines, manufactures, compositions of matter, and otherteachings of the present disclosure and to enable others skilled in theart to utilize the teachings of the present disclosure in such, orother, embodiments and with the various modifications required by theparticular applications or uses. Accordingly, the processes, machines,manufactures, compositions of matter, and other teachings of the presentdisclosure are not intended to limit the exact embodiments and examplesdisclosed herein. In the context of this disclosure the singular is tobe read to include the plural and the plural to include the singularunless explicitly stated otherwise. Any female pronoun is to be read toinclude the male and any male pronoun is to be read to include thesingular, unless explicitly stated otherwise. As used herein, the term“including” is meant to be non-limiting, and is to be read as synonymouswith “including but not limited to.”

1. An eaves protector comprising: (a) a fascia plate covering a portionof the outer surface of a fascia board of the eaves, the fascia platecomprising: (1) a generally vertical fascia cover portion, (2) a lockengagement portion, (3) a central portion between the fascia coverportion and the lock engagement portion, and (4) an upper plate edgealong the top margin of the fascia cover portion; (b) a fascia/soffitlock configured to be fastened to at least one of the fascia board and asoffit board of the eaves, comprising: (1) an outer soffit slot, and (2)a fascia plate engagement portion configured to engage the lockengagement portion of the fascia plate covering, such that thefascia/soffit lock at least partially supports the fascia plate when thesystem is fastened to the eaves; (c) a soffit configured to fit into theouter soffit slot such that the soffit is at least partially supportedby the fascia/soffit lock; and (d) a soffit receiver configured to befastened to at least one of the soffit board, a frieze board, and anexterior wall, the soffit receiver comprising: (1) an inner soffit slotconfigured to fit the soffit such that the soffit is at least partiallysupported by the soffit receiver, (2) a siding niche configured toaccept a top edge of a piece of siding, connected with and below theinner soffit slot when the system is fastened to the eaves, and (3) acentral portion connecting the inner soffit slot to the siding niche. 2.The eaves protector of claim 1, wherein the central portion of thefascia plate forms a lower drip edge.
 3. The eaves protector of claim 1,wherein the central portion of the fascia plate comprises a decorativefascia shape.
 4. The eaves protector of claim 3, wherein the decorativefascia shape is the shape of a lower portion of a wooden fascia board.5. The eaves protector of claim 1, further comprising a fascia dripguard configured to be fastened to the fascia board, comprising: (a) afascia plate slot configured to fit the upper plate edge of the fasciaplate, and (b) an upper drip edge.
 6. The eaves protector of claim 5,wherein the fascia drip guard further comprises a decorative upperfascia shape.
 7. The eaves protector of claim 1, wherein the soffitessentially consists of a layer of generally flat material.
 8. The eavesprotector of claim 7, wherein the material is a rolled material selectedfrom the group consisting of aluminum coil and vinyl.
 9. The eavesprotector of claim 1, wherein the lock engagement portion of the fasciaplate comprises a locking lip, and wherein the fascia plate engagementportion of the fascia/soffit lock comprises a locking ridge configuredto fit the locking lip.
 10. The eaves protector of claim 1, wherein thecentral portion of the soffit receiver comprises a decorative friezeshape.
 11. The eaves protector of claim 10, wherein the decorativefrieze shape is selected from the group consisting of: the shape of afrieze board and the shape of a crown molding.
 12. The eaves protectorof claim 1, wherein the soffit receiver comprises a single piece offolded material comprising: (a) a hairpin fold forming the inner soffitslot, (b) at least one niche fold forming the siding niche, (b) an upperfold adjacent to the inner soffit slot, and (c) a lower fold adjacent tothe siding niche, wherein the central portion of the soffit receiver isbetween the upper fold and the lower fold.
 13. The eaves protector ofclaim 12, wherein: (a) the inner soffit slot is generally perpendicularto the exterior wall of the building, and (b) the siding niche isgenerally parallel to the exterior wall of the building.
 14. The eavesprotector of claim 1, wherein the fascia/soffit lock comprises a singlepiece of folded material comprising: (a) a first hairpin fold formingthe outer soffit slot, and (b) a first fold between the outer soffitslot and the fascia plate engagement portion.
 15. The eaves protector ofclaim 14, wherein the fascia/soffit lock further comprises a secondhairpin fold adjacent to the first hairpin fold and on the opposite sideof the first hairpin fold from the first fold, and a second fold on theopposite side of the second hairpin fold from the first fold, the secondfold forming an upper portion generally parallel to the fascia board.16. The eaves protector of claim 14, wherein the fascia/soffit lockcomprises: (a) an upper tongue configured to sit between the fasciaboard and the fascia plate when installed on the eaves; (b) a lowertongue that is the fascia plate engagement portion; and (c) a sigmoidmidsection comprising and upper curve and a lower curve, the midsectionbeing between the upper tongue and the lower tongue, wherein the lowercurve defines the outer soffit slot.
 17. The eaves protector of claim 1,wherein the soffit is configured to fit into at least one of the innersoffit slot and the outer soffit slot to allow some degree of movementof the soffit relative to said at least one of the inner soffit slot andthe outer soffit slot.
 18. The eaves protector of claim 1, wherein thelock engagement portion is configured to engage the fascia plateengagement portion to allow some degree of movement of the fascia platerelative to the soffit/fascia lock.
 19. The eaves protector of claim 5,wherein the a fascia plate slot is configured to fit the upper plateedge to allow some degree of movement of the fascia plate relative tothe fascia drip guard.
 20. A building comprising the eaves protector ofclaim
 1. 21. A method of installing an eaves protector to a buildingcomprising fastening a component of the eaves protector of claim 1 to abuilding component selected from the group consisting of: a fasciaboard, a soffit board, a frieze board, and an exterior wall.
 22. Aneaves protector comprising: (a) a fascia plate covering a portion of theouter surface of a fascia board of the eaves, comprising: (1) agenerally vertical fascia cover portion, (2) an upturned lock engagementportion comprising a locking lip, and (3) a central portion between thefascia cover portion and the lock engagement portion and comprising atleast one fold to permit the upturned position of the lock engagementportion; (b) a fascia/soffit lock configured to be fastened to at leastone of the fascia board and a soffit board of the eaves, comprising: (1)an upper tongue configured to sit between the fascia board and thefascia plate when installed on the eaves, (2) a lower tongue comprisinga locking configuration, and (3) a sigmoid midsection comprising andupper curve and a lower curve, the midsection being between the uppertongue and the lower tongue, wherein the lower curve defines an outersoffit slot; (c) a soffit configured to fit into the outer soffit slotsuch that the soffit is at least partially supported by thefascia/soffit lock, the soffit essentially comprising a generally flatlayer of material; and (d) a soffit receiver configured to be fastenedto at least one of the soffit board, a frieze board, and an exteriorwall, the soffit receiver comprising: (1) a hairpin fold forming aninner soffit slot configured to fit the soffit such that the soffit isat least partially supported by the soffit receiver, (2) a siding nicheconfigured to accept a top edge of a piece of siding, connected with andbelow the inner soffit slot when the system is fastened to the eaves,and (3) a central portion comprising a decorative frieze shape andconnecting the inner soffit slot to the siding niche; wherein the fasciaplate, the fascia/soffit lock, and the soffit receiver are each formedfrom a single piece of folded material.
 23. A building comprising theeaves protector of claim
 22. 24. A method of installing an eavesprotector to a building comprising fastening a component of the eavesprotector of claim 22 to a building component selected from the groupconsisting of: a fascia board, a soffit board, a frieze board, and anexterior wall.